What Rob Ford has said about the alleged crack video - Action News
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Toronto

What Rob Ford has said about the alleged crack video

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford had little to say during a brief news conference outside his office today, but he has long denied the existence of a video allegedly showing him smoke crack cocaine.

Few words from Toronto's mayor in response to a large scandal

Mayor Rob Ford talks briefly to media at city hall in Toronto on Thursday, but continues to refuse to discuss the video allegedly showing him smoking crack. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford had little to say today during a brief news conference held after Chief Bill Blair announced Toronto police have recovered a video consistent with previous media reports about the mayor allegedly smoking crack cocaine.

But Ford has long denied the existence of the video. Here are some of the mayor's quotes on the matter:

"I wish I could come out and defend myself," Ford said outside his city hall office on Thursday afternoon. "Unfortunately I can't because it's before the courts. That's all I can say."

He added: "I have no reason to resign. Im going to go back and return my phone calls. Im going to be out doing what the people elected me to do and thats save taxpayers money and run a great government that weve been running.

"Absolutely not true," he said outside his Etobicoke home on May 17 after the allegations first surfaced. "It's ridiculous. It's another Toronto Star whatever.

Later that day Ford again called the allegations, first published in the Toronto Star and on the U.S. website Gawker, ridiculous.

Its another story with respect to the Toronto Star going after me," Ford said. "And thats all Ive got to say for now."

Facing intense media scrutiny and a letter from the citys executive demanding he respond, Ford again denied the allegations a week later.

"I do not use crack cocaine," Ford told a jam-packed news conference at Toronto City Hall on May 24. "Nor am I an addict of crack cocaine."

Ford said he could not comment on a video "that I have never seen or does not exist."

The mayor spoke again about the purported video during his weekly radio show on May 26.

"Folks, I've addressed these allegations and its unfortunate that you get put in this situation, but we're moving forward," Ford said.

"Number one, there is no video, so that's all I can say," he said.

"You can't comment on something that doesn't exist."

On May 30, Ford was again asked about the allegations after losing several of his staffers, but refused to answer questions on the subject.

"Anything else?" Ford said, before saying that he planned on running again for mayor in 2014.